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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357181">COMPETITION // Inquisitor Cal Kestis</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/chxsingparadise/pseuds/chxsingparadise'>chxsingparadise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action &amp; Romance, Am I really this bored, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Humor, I need help, IM SO BORED AND THIS IS WHAT MY LIFE HAS COME TO, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rivals to Lovers, Romance, Tags May Change, What am I doing, im not glorifying the empire's insanity, once again, seriously, this is strictly for entertainment purposes only</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:54:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,423</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/chxsingparadise/pseuds/chxsingparadise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>❝ 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬! ❞</p><p>-.`&gt;.-----`=+=`-----.&lt;`.-</p><p>You're one of the Empire's highest-ranking Purge Troopers, having grown fluent in the arts of combat and survival. However, you've recently become more anchored to the Fortress Inquisitorius, spending more time than you'd like down on this backwater planet training new troops for battle in the field. The repetitive cycle of life on Nur has a secure and predictable feeling, a sensation you've grown to hate as a soldier bred for battle and the unforgiving spontaneousness of the galaxy. But when things start to hit rock bottom in terms of boringness, you suddenly find your interest caught on a charming, red-headed Inquisitor inhabiting the base...</p><p>-.`&gt;.-----`=+=`-----.&lt;`.-</p><p>{Inquisitor!Cal Kestis x PurgeTrooper!Reader AU)</p><p>All rights reserved.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cal Kestis &amp; Reader, Cal Kestis/Reader, Inquisitor Cal Kestis &amp; Reader, Inquisitor Cal Kestis/Reader, Inquisitor!Cal Kestis &amp; Reader, Inquisitor!Cal Kestis/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭;</p><p>𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐮, 𝐉𝐡𝐞𝐧é 𝐀𝐢𝐤𝐨 - 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦</p><p>𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 - 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 (𝐟𝐭. 𝐃𝐨𝐣𝐚 𝐂𝐚𝐭)</p><p>𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥</p><p>𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝, 𝐒𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐩</p><p>𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 - 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰</p><p>𝐌𝐀𝐗 - 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥’𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥</p><p>-.`&gt;.-----`=+=`-----.&lt;`.-</p><p>hi cuties, i’ve had several interesting scenarios for inquisitor!cal kestis fics rolling around in my brain, so here's another story about our favorite evil ginger with a plot that's semi-decent. it’s gonna be more light hearted than the other one so i’m happy for that c: AND YES I KNOW THAT IM USING THE ENEMIES TO LOVERS TROPE AGAIN BUT I LITERALLY CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF IT SO BEAR WITH ME AHAHeajbBJLKRJR</p><p>okay, anyways, enjoy!</p><p>p.s. fuck purge troopers, all my homies hate purge troopers and their fellow imperial scum!!!! but for the sake of this story let's pretend they're not evil little reptiles.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You never really thought twice about the newest addition to the Inquisitors' ranks--Cal Kestis. When the Second Sister announced all those years ago that she'd caught herself a new pet to toy with, you didn't bat an eye. You were too busy caught up with your own training as a cadet to think about the Fortress Inquisitorius's new inhabitant. It took a couple months before you finally laid eyes on the Inquisitor's new apprentice, but when you did, you were quite shocked. </p><p>He was much younger than expected, appearing to be around your age -- mid-teens. A cadet just like you.</p><p>Although you found his flashy lightsaber abilities impressive, you swiftly lost interest in the male and focused on completing your own training as a Purge Trooper. The Second Sister pitted you two against each other once, perhaps a year after he had first arrived on Nur (you being the strongest trooper in training at the time), to test the boy's skills in battle. The duel was brilliant. You suppose she chose you because you were "closest" to his abilities in the sense that both of you were in training, but regardless, you still kicked his ass. It was an easy triumph to say the least.</p><p>However, a couple years have passed since then. You're a full-fledged purge trooper now. A commander, in fact. On the other hand, the red-headed boy is now an Inquisitor, having earned the title of Eleventh Brother. Both you and the male have gained more training, strength, agility, and experience -- impressive amounts for your age. You were prodigies. But it had been a while since you'd sparred, or even crossed paths for that matter. Whenever you did catch a glimpse of him, it was either from across one of the many hallways on the base or through the windows of the Dojo.</p><p>Still, he was someone you never really paid attention to as you were generally focused on more pressing matters. The boy was just another co-worker to you, basically. </p><p>You also never spent much time on the base of Nur, despite considering it to be your "home". It's the place you returned to after your missions were complete, so that's basically the only reason as to why your subconscious titled it that. Usually, you were either out travelling on an Imperial transport ship, or running around off-planet while beating the living daylights out of rebels.</p><p>You're a very skilled Purge Trooper at that -- one of the best -- being fluent in all sorts of weapons, not just your standardized DC-15A blaster rifle. From the electrobatons to the electrostaff, you could beat people in all sorts of crazy ways! Your expertise earned you a very high respect among your fellow Imperial Officials. The Brothers and Sisters of Nur would even contemplate inviting you into the Dojo to spar, but you were never able to join them due to your business.</p><p>Lately, you'd been working mostly in the fortress rather than out on other planets. Due to your high-ranking, your superiors had deemed it beneficial that you spend more time training cadets rather than going out and working off-planet. Although it was a more comfortable option, it was the more uneventful alternative than the excitement of being chased through the forests of Kashyyyk by a gigantic Wyyyschokk or slashing apart a Rabid Jotaz on Zeffo. To be blunt, it bored you. But alas, you had to make the most of it. </p><p>At this point, you're just waiting to be assigned another mission again. The restlessness is killing you. You're waiting for something interesting on Nur to throw itself in front of you -- something to focus your mind on and provide you with that oh so familiar adrenaline high that you'd grown to crave during your career as a Purge Trooper. But you know you're just being desperate, and that the boredom will pass eventually. </p><p>Until then, however, you'd be stuck on this cursed fishbowl of a planet, yawning every second, and training other troopers for action in the field -- the place where you longed to return.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Cadet and an Apprentice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ahaha hey,,, guess who half-assed proof-reading,,, ahaha,,, me,,,,</p><p>also, i forgot to create a playlist so i added that in the prologue. thanks for reading, and my apologies for any grammatical errors! i'll probably go back and spell-check again later...</p><p>but yeah, enjoy! &lt;33</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1</p><p>BEEP BEEP BEEP</p><p>The blaring of your alarm jolts you awake with a start. It’s early in the morning, but you can’t tell anyways, as there are no windows to gaze out of in your metallic apartment room. You roll over and slap the clock’s off button, shifting back onto your mattress with a groan.</p><p>
  <i>"Another boring-ass day stuck on in this cold-ass rock…"</i>
</p><p>You unwillingly pull yourself out of bed and make your way to the bathroom, taking a quick shower and throwing on your Imperial-issued black under-suit -- the standard uniform that all troopers are expected to wear beneath their armor. You'd change into the rest of your ensemble once at the downstairs lockers.</p><p>You brew a pot of coffee and brush your teeth, grabbing a slice of toast and your mug on the way out. It’s not that you're late for work and hurrying to make it there on time, you just can't bear being alone in the desolate walls of your cold apartment.</p><p>Being ranked with a more elite status in the fortress did come with its perks in terms of living conditions, at least. You had to admit, your floor was slightly better than the others situated below, but its spacious structure meant that it was much quieter and, in a way, lonely. But at least its quality in size and cleanliness served as compensation for the emptiness brought with it. Regardless, you were still grateful for being able to sleep comfortably and securely, as the uppermost levels of the base were more like penthouses than anything.</p><p>There were only a few more floors above yours, those being the Iquisitors’ quarters. Fortunately, you never crossed paths with any of them on your morning elevator trips -- presumably because you were on a different schedule. The only other people you see in the hallways on your way to work are either storm troopers, maintenance personnel, or your fellow Purge Troopers who live on the same floor as you. Every once in a while, you’d run into the Second Sister, but your interactions never grew past anything more than orders or curt nods as you passed each other. </p><p>You step into the elevator and punch a floor number into the keypad. The doors slide shut, followed by the machine kicking into motion, a soft hum filling the small space. You sip your coffee and stared aimlessly at the wall. </p><p>Today was going to be the same as any other: training another platoon of troopers from dusk ‘til dawn until your joints creak from exhaustion and your lungs ache from shouting orders at them. Oh, how this lifestyle is wearing on you. You need a breath of fresh air after spending the past few months cooped up on this bleak compound. You miss going on missions -- despite how deadly some of them ended up being -- the freedom of being able to roam freely across the galaxy’s many planets being something you yearn for. It feels like an eternity since the last time you’d been assigned a mission off-planet, and you have no clue as to why your supervisors hadn’t done so recently. You’ve been growing more frustrated as time draws on, genuinely contemplating whether or not it’d be a good idea to complain to upper management about the inactivity you suffered from. But, in the end you always stop yourself, knowing that mouthing off to anyone in the Empire, other than those ranked below you, would surely result in a very unpleasant penalty. And hey, at least running around with a bunch of soldiers all day was a good way to stay active. Yay?</p><p>The elevator dinged, slowing to a stop, and you stepped out into a long hallway. Several other troopers also occupied the area, either on their way to work or chatting with one another in the middle of the pathway. Usually, you’d be happy to share a few greetings or conversations with your fellow co-workers -- some of them even being your friends -- but today you just didn’t have the energy. You sigh and begin silently making your way towards the training room, trying to make it obvious that you did not want to be bothered.</p><p>After making a couple turns, you finally reach the training rooms. You drag yourself into the locker rooms and begin preparing for the day, slipping on your armor, equipping your utility belt, loading up your shock grenades, and grabbing your DC-15A blaster rifle. You’re almost ready to go, but right as you shut your locker door, a loud beeping noise rings out from your transmitter, signalling that someone is trying to contact you. You hastily fumble for the device and press the “talk” button.</p><p>"This is commander L/N speaking," You say into the microphone, curiously waiting for a response.</p><p>
  <i>"Who would want something from me this early in the morning?"<i></i></i>
</p><p>“Commander,” A crisp, modulated voice crackles back through the speaker, “you are needed at the Dojo for a duel this morning. You may bring any melee weapon of your choice.”</p><p>You nearly choke on your own spit after recognizing the voice on the other end of the line. </p><p>“Oh- My apologies, Second Sister,” you manage to reply, “But I will be unable to make it today. I have several training sessions-”</p><p> “I’ve already sent someone else to take care of your classes for today,” she interrupts, a hint of impatience in her voice.</p><p>You gulp. “I-I see. May I ask who I will be fighting?” </p><p>“An old opponent of yours. You’ll see, commander.”</p><p>Pausing for a moment to fully absorb her words, you finally respond, “I’ll be there.”</p><p>"Good,” the Inquisitor calls back, “I expect to see you here in no more than ten minutes. <i>Don't be late.<i>"</i></i></p><p>A click on the other end of the line signals that the transmission has ended. You stand frozen for a moment, a little shocked from the suddenness of the request being sprung upon you. A duel? With whom? And why so sudden? 

Questions continue to flood your mind as you set down your blaster and reach for a pair of electrobatons hanging from a weapon rack on the wall. Securing them to your belt, you pocket your transmitter and jog towards the elevator, your helmet held under your arm. Stepping back into the machine, you punched in the Dojo’s floor number and leaned against the wall.</p><p><i>“An old opponent of mine?”</i> You think to yourself, racking your brain and mentally checking off every single person you’d ever fought, trying to figure out who on Nur that deranged Inquisitor could be talking about. You already felt irritated enough with the day-to-day uneventfulness of the fortress, so being asked to do something with little explanation was only making you angrier. If anything, the stupid Second Sister could’ve at least informed you a little sooner. </p><p>The elevator stops with a ding and you march out. It took about five minutes before you finally reached where you’d been summoned to. Entering your verification, the large mechanical doors of the Dojo slide open, revealing its control room and the black-clad figure of the Second Sister </p><p>“Commander L/N,” The Inquisitor greets you, “right on time.”</p><p>You nod respectfully in reply.</p><p>“You remember my apprentice, correct?” </p><p>“Cal Kestis?”</p><p>“Indeed,” she jeers. “Quite a while ago, the boy completed his training and set out on his duties as an Inquisitor. But even so, it's important that he continues to refine his skills and practice what he's learned, even when not pursuing off-planet missions. Seeing as you graduated from the status of training around the same time that he did, I think you'd make a perfect candidate for testing his skills as you have done in the past. Consider this a rematch from your last spar as mere amateurs, if you even remember that battle.”</p><p>And remember you did. Oh, how hilarious that duel was. You were only a cadet at the time, and Kestis was an apprentice -- taking place about a year after he had begun his training to be an Inquisitor. You were both around the same age at the time, maybe sixteen or seventeen, so the Inquisitors of Nur had this bright idea to pit you two against each other as a training exercise for the boy. </p><p>As the most elite member of your platoon, you immediately pulverized his ass, leaving him sprawled out in the middle of the Dojo in utter defeat. It must’ve been truly humiliating for him. Every single Inquisitor had watched him get his ass whooped by some snot-nosed cadet, and he was barely able to put up a fight. You almost felt bad about it, too, but it earned you a handful of respect among your fellow trainees, as you got to brag about completely destroying the Second Sister’s apprentice soon after. </p><p>How could you forget? That was probably one of the most enjoyable moments you had in the fortress. You hold back a laugh and refocus your attention on the Second Sister, hoping that she didn’t notice your lips momentarily curl upwards from the memory</p><p>“It will be a test of your skills,” she continued, “as well as a benchmark of your success. I’m curious as to see who will come out victorious this time.”</p><p>You remain expressionless, tossing her words around in your mind. Come to think of it, you can’t remember the last interaction you’d had with the boy, much less the last time you'd caught a clear glimpse of him. Every now and then he could be seen striding through the corridors from a distance or training feverishly in the Dojo, always wearing the Inquisitorius-style black and red helmet. But even then, you never had a second thought about him. Hell, it’s a miracle you even remembered the boy’s name.</p><p>You nod and pull your helmet over your head. “Where is he?”</p><p>“He’s already waiting,” The Second Sister responds, gesturing towards the battle room. You turn towards the doors that separate the control room from the main chamber and make your way over to them, stretching your arms leisurely as you walk and checking to make sure your batons are secured in place on your belt. “Good luck, <i>commander</i>.”</p><p>The Inquisitor’s tone sends a wave of unease through your body. You feel as though she’s silently betting on one of you to win -- which, you can’t be certain. The doors slide open as you approach, revealing the vast main room of the Dojo. Sounds of metal hitting metal bounce off the walls as orange steam spews from the metal grates in the floor. There’s a duel going on already -- one between a black-clad male brandishing a red lightsaber and two purge troopers welding electrohammers. They seemed to be too caught up in fighting to notice you enter, so you remain observing from a distance.</p><p>The male, who you assume to be Cal Kestis, looks to be maneuvering between his opponents with ease. His movements were swift and full of agility, each swing bringing with it power and purposefulness, something you hadn’t noticed before. The guy was way more intimidating up close, to say the least. You would’ve felt nervous, had you not already been calloused to the stress of combat. He appeared to be far more grown in comparison to the last time you saw him. He was much taller, and noticeably more tone as well -- so much so, that you could tell even through the thick fabric of his garb. The same black and red helmet he always wore was once again adorned on his head, concealing a face that you couldn't remember, meaning that it would continue to remain a mystery. 

You glance back at the viewing window to see the Second Sister’s silhouette observing the playing field. </p><p><i>“Hurray, more pressure,”</i> you think sarcastically to yourself.</p><p>Turning back to the Inquisitor, you look just in time to see him disarm the first trooper and kick him to the floor, nimbly deflecting the second’s attack before twisting around his opponent and forcing the soldier's arm down to zap himself with his own weapon. You stand in silent awe at the male’s skills as he switches off his lightsaber and turns to you, now clearly aware of your presence. </p><p>"So, you must be the cadet that defeated me all those years ago," he calls, his voice modulated by that dark helmet masking his face. </p><p>"That's commander to you, <i>Kestis</i>,” you hiss back, “I'm no longer a cadet, just as you are no longer an apprentice. But from what I can tell, your skills are on the same level as those of a scrap rat.” 

</p>
<p>
<i>Force users can't sense deceit, right?</i>
</p><p>"Your insults would bear more weight if you believed them, <i>commander<i>." </i></i></p><p>
  <i>Guess they can.</i>
</p><p>   You stiffen at his remark, your muscles itching to launch yourself at him. "At least I'm sharp enough to come up with good ones." </p><p>He chuckles, "You’re bold -- I’m surprised you feel so comfortable about disrespecting your <i>superior</i>."</p><p>
 "Your outranking of me is meaningless," you laugh. "Anyways, trust me. I've spent enough time training newbies to tell when someone's lacking in skill." You’re lying through your teeth at this point.
</p><p>"So I’ve heard," the male continues, "I find it ironic how you've become one of the Empire's most gifted soldiers, and yet are rarely ever called out on missions anymore." </p><p>“Why, you little-”</p><p>“I wouldn't be surprised if your stasis was initiated because you’re out of practice. No doubt it'll probably be a breeze beating you.”</p><p>You scoff at the Inquisitor’s words, pulling out your batons and activating them. "Enough talk, <i>apprentice.</i> Your words can’t get to me that easily."</p><p>Kestis brings his lightsaber to his side and ignites it, tilting his head at your words.</p><p>“Oh, really? I wouldn’t be so certain of that, cadet,” he says in a lower voice. </p><p>Something in the male’s tone causes warmth to creep up your face.</p><p>“L-Let’s just get this over with quickly. I have places to be,” you hiss, confused as to how such a simple statement was causing you to become so flustered. A force-trick? You couldn't be sure. You fire up your electrobatons and focus on his form through your helmet, the room tinted red from your visor’s coloring.

</p><p>The Inquisitor falls into an offensive crouch at your motion. The two defeated purge troopers who had been watching your exchange the entire time scramble to their feet, realizing that now probably wasn't the safest time to be nearby, and hurry out one of the Dojo’s side doors, giving both of you plenty of space. </p><p>Kestis makes the first move, dashing up to you quickly and swinging at your chest plate. You block the attack by slamming your batons together in an X shape. You push him back and try to kick his feet out from under him, but he jumps over your leg and swipes at you again. </p><p>You deflect his blow and continue hacking at your enemy with growing vigor. Sparks fly as your weapons clash, a mix of purple and red light flashing from the constant storm of energy being thrown from your parries. The Inquisitor begins to push you backwards, but you quickly notice what he's doing and twist around him, trailing in circles around his figure while jabbing relentlessly at his abdomen. If you can’t get him to retreat, then you’d just have to tire him out where he stood. </p><p>However, this technique isn't going to work for long. Although he is slowly becoming fatigued, you probably won’t be able to keep up your attacks in this inefficient for as long as he can defend. It's too predicatble. Growing impatient, you suddenly slash down at his head, but he meets your batons and forces them upward, exposing your torso and planting a kick directly in the middle of your stomach. </p><p>You yelp, the air being forced from your lungs as you’re thrown backwards, landing flat on your back to have the wind knocked out of you for the second time in a row. Dazed from the impact, you try to pull yourself up, but the Inquisitor throws himself on top of you and straddles your waist, pinning your wrists above your head -- batons still in hand. He leans down, mask only inches away from yours. </p><p>"It's no use, <i>cadet</i>," he growls, "forfeit."</p><p>Struggling the male's weight, your legs kick out uselessly behind him as you try to wriggle free from his grip. You turn your batons backwards and flick them down to shock his forearms, the sudden surge of electricity stunning him enough to weaken his hold on you. It’s a good thing your armor is shock-proof, otherwise you’d be feeling just as much pain as he was from the current being conducted through him. </p><p>You break free from his hands and shove your batons to his chest, electrocuting him even more. He reels off of you into a kneeling position, trying to catch his breath. Leaping to your feet, you try to kick him in the head but he rolls to the side and ignites his lightsaber again, blocking your next swipe.</p><p>Fortunately, your renewed energy allows you to observe his moves with more clarity now, and you’re able to spot an opening in his defenses. Ducking under his next swing, you elbow him in the side and shove him down to the floor. This time, you’re the one on top of him, forcing both batons towards his helmet as he struggles to hold them back with his own weapon.</p><p>You’re so close to victory -- so close to the satisfaction of humiliating him for a second time after he trash talked you so confidently. His helmet is barely visible under the angry, purple light of the plasma emanating from your batons, the crackling sound they give off now becoming deafening. </p><p>“Y-you know,” the Inquisitor groans in a strained voice, further distorted from his helmet's modulation, “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like having you on top of me,”</p><p>Your eyes widen in confusion, an expression concealed by your mask, but the male is still able to sense your distraction nonetheless. Providing him with the perfect opening, he suddenly pushes his lightsaber up, causing your batons to be shoved towards the ceiling. Throwing a hand forward, he releases a gust of energy from his open palm that launches you backwards across the room. </p><p>You cry out as you’re slammed against the opposite wall. Pain shoots through your body and all you see are stars -- so dazed from the impact that your vision has become blurry. You try to get up and continue the fight, but your legs are weak from the shock and you collapse back against the wall. A loud buzz rings out through the Dojo, signalling the end of the duel.</p><p><b>"The Eleventh Brother wins,"</b> the Second Sister's voice rings out over the loud speakers connected to the room. "The fight has been concluded. Put away your weapons." </p><p>“Not so cocky now, huh, <i>cadet<i>?”</i></i></p><p>"What the hell?!" you snarl in rage. The male stands over you, twirling his lightsaber tauntingly before switching it off. “Y-you played dirty -- you used the force!” You accuse, growing flustered again at the memory of how he gained the opportunity to use it in the first place.</p><p>“I didn’t play dirty, I just used my abilities and to my advantage,” he replied. You could practically hear him smirking. Tilting his head to the side, he lowered his voice slightly, “Plus, it proves that I was right. My words can get to you after all." </p><p> “Shut it!” You seethed, scowling up at him from the floor. <i>“Has this dude been hitting on me? Or is he just the biggest jackass ever?”</i> you bluster in your mind, reflecting momentarily on his behavior. Confusion would be an understatement to what you were experiencing in regards to figuring out his true intentions. You take a few deep breaths to try and calm your nerves. </p><p>“Need a hand?” The male chuckles, extending an arm down to your pitiful figure.</p><p> "No, thanks.” You reply, casting him a glare that would’ve burned a hole through both of your helmets. Disregarding his open palm, you wobble to your feet, muscles finally burning and feeling the effects of the aftermath of your duel. You turn to the Inquisitor. “Good fight, Eleventh Brother.”</p><p>It took all of your willpower to muster up the phrase, but you did it anyway, anger bubbling in the pit of your stomach as you struggle to keep your sportsmanship intact.</p><p>“Right back at you,” he replies brightly, “Your technique is pretty impressive, too. I can clearly see improvement from when you were a cadet. It’s not surprising to know that you’ve earned yourself such a high rank.”</p><p> His words sound genuine, which surprises you, and they immediately dissolve the frustration built up in your chest.  </p><p>“Thank you,” You reply with hesitation, somewhat suspicious of his courtesy, but you try to remain positive nonetheless. However, your anger quickly returns as you remember the trick he pulled not too long ago, and you silently curse in confusion for allowing yourself to be assuaged by his words so easily. <i>“What is wrong with me…”</i> you think, picking up your batons and securing them to your belt before making your way out the door. The Inquisitor watches you leave, but you’re too caught up in your own thoughts to notice his attention on you. </p><p><i>“The nerve of that guy! Maker, he didn’t just toy with me -- he took me out in the most humiliating way possible. On top of that, my reputation is about to get whipped, and he probably finds it hilarious!”</i> You scream in your head, stomping through the Dojo’s doors back into the control room.</p><p>“Welcome back, commander. That was quite the impressive show you two put on,” the Second Sister’s voice rings out from above you by the viewing window. She elegantly strides down the metal steps to meet you at the bottom. “Although you lost, your skills are still quite impressive.” </p><p>“Thank you,” You say stiffly.</p><p>“But it’s to be expected that they can’t compare with an Inquisitor’s.”</p><p>Your jaw tightens at her words. You know she’s right, and you feel somewhat relieved that she hasn’t lost respect for you, but something in the back of your mind is screaming that you should’ve been able to take him down. Usually when you lose a fight, the only unease you feel is in your muscles from running around the arena and getting the wind knocked out of you a couple times. But something about this defeat stung.</p><p>You nod, remaining nonchalant with your body language. </p><p>“Good work,” she continues. “You are dismissed.”</p><p>
Turning to the door, you swiftly make your exit. You power-walk through the corridors, slowly growing more angry as you replay the fight in your mind. The Eleventh Brother’s taunting attitude along with what he pulled on you was enough to send you into outer space from sheer anger. But something else about him was eating away at you -- something you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Several things about his demeanor confused you. However, it was meaningless to think about them. You probably wouldn’t have to deal with him again anytime soon, so you might as well try and forget about it sooner than later. And though you wouldn't admit it, his attempt at getting to you had worked. A little too well, actually.
</p><p>
 Although you are a very high ranking officer, you still aren’t perfect. You’ve lost your fair share of fights before, and yeah, they stung -- but not like this. Even then, your losses have grown slim over the years. Rarely are you ever beaten, and when you are, it was always due to a justifiable faculty -- something that doesn't reflect on your skills. You are far too skilled to be defeated by any other troopers on the base, and you know this.
</p><p>
  You aren’t cocky -- no -- but you do have your pride. Perhaps it’s the pressure from the Second Sister that’s weighing down on you after the fight, or the demeaning manor at which you’d lost that caused this defeat to be more painful than the others. Honestly, you can’t be too sure. But whatever the case, one thing is certain. 
 
</p><p>
 You’ve found yourself some competition.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Minifridge Crisis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this is NOT proof read, so it's probably cringe... but people like it so it's time to update ahaha... once again, i haven't re-read this, so i have no recollection of how bad it is, thankfully. enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The floor of your apartment feels cool to the touch. You lay there, staring lifelessly at the ceiling while blasting music from your radio. It’s been almost a week since your encounter with the new Inquisitor, and you still haven’t been able to get the defeat out of your mind. You’d been replaying the battle over and over in your head since the day it happened, questioning every little detail of it. </p><p>You couldn’t be sure if it was midnight or 3am, having been too caught up in your thoughts to notice how much time had passed. You had tried going to sleep to no avail. </p><p><i>“Why does it matter so much that I got beat by someone who outranks me… am I that full of myself? Do I really think I’m that good?”</i> you scold yourself, feeling slightly ashamed at your childish thoughts. <i>“Is he even better than me though? I mean, his technique was certainly different, but the only reason he won was because he used the force… Then again, if he is more skilled, who says that I have to accept that someone is better than me just because of their rank…”</i></p><p>The sound of your stomach rumbling interrupts your train of thought, urging you to get up and scour your living quarters for food. You pull yourself to your feet and turn the music down, walking the short distance to the kitchen and pulling open the refrigerator door. You reach for a carton of ice cream before realizing that the machine’s lights were off -- meaning that it was broken. You hastily slam the door shut, hoping that not too much cold air has escaped, and hurry out of your room towards the maintenance hall. </p><p>You’re wearing nothing but socks, running shorts, and a sports bra -- the usual attire you wore to bed. It was something you’d certainly get dress coded for if you were to run into anyone along the way, but hopefully the route you’re taking will be empty at this time of night. You hop into the elevator and navigate towards the maintenance hall within a few minutes, but are disappointed to find that the doors are locked. No one’s there at this time, which is somewhat of a surprise, as generally one of your friends was up late working. You decide to head to the break-room nearby and grab yourself a snack from there. It’s not very far away, and you reach the room in a few minutes, turning on the lights and nearly blinding yourself from the sudden brightness. </p><p>Sighing, you pull out your transmitter and ring one of your friends, Tilo, a member of maintenance personnel, as you shuffle over to the cabinets and begin rummaging around for something to eat. He picks up within a few buzzes.  </p><p>“Ngh… this is Tilo speaking… how can I help...” he groans groggily into the microphone, evidently having just woken up.</p><p>“Tilo!” you whisper-scream into the microphone, “My mini-fridge broke, so now all of my food is about to-”</p><p>“Y/N? Oh, just leave it and go to sleep... I’ll stop by to look at it in the morning,” he mumbles back.</p><p>“But my ice cream is going to melt!”</p><p>“I- BAHAHAHA,” he breaks out in hysterical laughter. “Your ice cream is going to- hah! Why did you say it like that?! Y-You call me at 2am to complain about your fridge breaking- I- you’re supposed to be a dangerous Imperial official and yet you sound so helpless about a minor inconvenience!”</p><p>“Oh, shut it before I walk over there and spin your ass into the ground,” you grumble. </p><p>“D-do you need me to show you how to open that ice cream container of yours, too?” he wheezes.</p><p>"You're laughing. My mini-fridge is dead, and you're laughing," you deadpan into the microphone, only earning another fit of laughter in response. </p><p>“G-goodnight, Y/N,” Tilo hangs up on you. You roll your eyes.</p><p>"Damn, didn’t expect you to be so passionate about a refrigerator."</p><p>Your blood freezes. You recognize that voice -- that familiar, modulated voice. Whipping around faster than lightning, you turn to see none other than that cursed Inquisitor boy, Cal Kestis, leaning on the doorway. He’s wearing his usual Inquisitor garb and helmet, appearing to have just come back from training. Why he’s up so late, you didn’t know -- but you didn’t care either.</p><p>"You!" you huff, stomping up to him, "I want a rematch!"</p><p>"Woah there, calm down, what's the rush?" he chuckles playfully, putting his hands up at your sudden approach. </p><p>"Listen here, buddy," you growl, poking his chestplate between each word, "Distracting me with your confusing-ass remarks was a cheap move! And using the force was just another display of your lack of skill.”</p><p>“Oh?” </p><p>He reaches up towards his helmet, slowly disengaging it and pulling it off to reveal a very pretty face framed by swooped back scarlet hair. You stare in shock for a moment, taking in his appearance. He looks so much different from the time you’d seen him without the mask. Several scars litter his face as they did before, except now there appears to be a few more. His hair has grown longer and is swooped back in a gloriously combed way. You wonder how it was able to stay intact under the helmet. His features have grown more defined as well, and though you hate to admit it, they’ve grown far more attractive. “It sounds like you’re making excuses to me.”</p><p>You snap back to reality, glancing away from his face and hoping that the boy hadn’t taken notice of your scanning eyes.</p><p>“Excuses?! I don’t need to make excuses -- I’m just stating absolute facts and logic!! And because of you, I haven’t been able to walk properly all week!" You freeze, hearing the words as they come out of your mouth and regretting them immediately. The Inquisitor tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrows in amusement at your words."I- you know what i mean!" You stutter, turning away, your face growing hot from embarrassment. His smirk didn't make it any better either.</p><p>"Alright, if you want a rematch, I can probably find time for that. How about in..." he paused, presumably thinking. You turn around slowly, hesitantly eyeing him while he put a finger to his chin in mock-contemplation. "...two weeks?" </p><p>"Two weeks?!" You exclaim in outrage. Now he's just toying with you. "You've gotta be insane if you think Imma wait two weeks to kick your sorry ass!"</p><p>Cal shrugged. "If you want a rematch, then you're gonna have to wait until my schedule is clear. Sorry, sweetheart."</p><p>"I don't believe you... two weeks..." you growl, trying as hard as you could to not let the blush creep onto your face at the use of that nickname. “Also, don’t you dare even think about using any tricks, especially ones that involve the force. I want to see who’s really the most skilled at combat.”</p><p>“I can probably answer that question for you right now, but I doubt you’d like what I have to say,” the male smirked, “but since you really wanna know… I guess you’ll have to wait.” He ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>You growled at his movement, "If you think you can flip your nice hair and charm me into submission, then you're wrong, pretty boy."</p><p>"You like my hair?"</p><p>"Shut up!"</p><p>
  <i>"'Charm you into submission?'"</i>
</p><p>"Give me one reason not to kick your ass right here, right now!"</p><p>The Inquisitor laughed. "You make it too easy to get to you." You scoff, crossing your arms and glaring at him before averting his gaze and focusing on the floor. He stood up straight, looking you up and down as if to size you up, for battle or for *something else.* "You're a lot smaller without your armor on."</p><p>"That's how armor works, dip ass," you snap back, fixing your posture to try and level with him, but it was of no use. </p><p>"I'll be honest, I didn't expect someone so cute to be under that helmet," he smirked down at you. You opened your mouth to say something, most likely disrespectful, but he continued before you could. "Also," his eyes flitted down to your lower body, "you should think twice before insulting me. Call me another one of those cute nicknames again and I’ll get you dress coded,"</p><p>You froze, only just now remembering that you were standing with barely any clothing outside of your quarters. A spike of anxiety shot through your body as you imagined the screaming you’d have to endure from one of the upper managers about keeping Imperialistic professionalism to a maximum, and how violating something so simple as uniform dress code would be disgraceful for any trooper to partake in -- especially a high-ranking commander. Regardless, your tendency to open your mouth doesn’t help you.</p><p>"Wanna bet?! I’ll cuss you out twice as much as before!" you snarl, taking another step closer to him in an attempt to intimidate the male.</p><p>He rolled his eyes at you. "I'm kidding! Lighten up a bit. I don’t care about you showing skin," he eyed you for a moment. "If anything, I'd complain about you not showing more."</p><p>"Wha-" Your eyes widen and this time you can't hold back your blush. You try to retaliate with a snarky remark but only unintelligible noises come out of your mouth as you grow more and more flushed under his flirtatious gaze.</p><p>"Who knew it was so easy to stun a Purge Trooper -- a Purge Trooper *Commander*, even," he grinned.</p><p>"Y-you little-"</p><p>"Guess I'll see you in two weeks, or sooner, <i>Y/N</i>." He turned away and walked off, leaving you standing alone in the break room, utterly flustered and confused. It would've been a flat out lie if you said you didn't enjoy his flirtatious remarks, and it would've been an even bigger lie to say you didn't want to hear more of them. But regardless, oh boy, this guy was really gonna get it the next time you two dueled.</p>
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